The Philippines announced that about 4,687 sailors continue to work in high-risk areas in the Red Sea and areas threatened by piracy and armed conflict.

The Undersecretary of the Philippine Ministry of Labor, Hans Kakdak, confirmed that 740 sailors out of this number were attacked on board ships sailing in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Kakdak noted that many other government agencies have strengthened their assistance to seafarers.

He said that the port administration urged ship owners to change the course of their ships. However, he acknowledged that stronger protocols and guidelines are needed to assist seafarers facing direct threats.

In turn, BIMCO's Director of Maritime Safety and Security, Captain Ashok Srinivasan, stressed the seriousness of the situation, saying: “Shipping is under attack, and our sailors are being attacked and killed in the Red Sea.”

Explaining that this is not the kind of risk that anyone should ask our sailors to take.

He said that the escalation of violence in those waters goes beyond the scope of the shipping industry and non-governmental organizations, and called for direct intervention from governments.

Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping, confirmed the call for action, noting the trauma suffered by the crew members of the oil tanker Galaxy Leader in November last year.

Platen said, “We still have 25 crew members on board the ship, and can you imagine the amount of distress they and their families are experiencing at this moment, and all our efforts have yielded nothing.”

He continued: "Among the 25 crew members of the Galaxy Leader hostage, there are 17 Filipino citizens. The Houthi rebels who hijacked the ship are still holding them."

Last August, the Philippines called on its sailors to “avoid” the Red Sea against the backdrop of Houthi militia attacks.

The Philippine Foreign Ministry said that Filipino citizens should avoid the entire area, unless it is absolutely necessary for their livelihood.

Noting the worsening conflict in the Red Sea, which represents a clear and present danger to all Filipino seafarers working in the region